1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns systems which utilise the combined capabilities of omputers and telephony.
2. Description of Related Art
Historically computers and telephony have occupied different areas in the overall field of technology with the exception of the increasing use of computer technology in controlling and managing telephone networks. However there is now a rapid convergence in these two areas so that the boundaries between computing and telephony are becoming harder to define. Thus computers, as well as being used to control telephones, can have special telephone interfaces that carry out the telephony functions; additionally information carried over telephone lines can be detected by computers and used to handle the calls more efficiently.
One of the forces driving the integration of computing and telephony is that modern businesses have a growing need to unite individuals in different locations into project teams. Another concept uniting computing and telephony is that of the xe2x80x9chot deskxe2x80x9d where an individual does not necessarily have a single defined office location but may rather be migratory so that his/her office is defined at the point of logging-in to a computer terminal, a procedure which obviously can occur at widely spaced locations given the great increase in computer networks. Thus while the server of the computer network will know at log-on where the user is located this is not necessarily so for the user""s telephone number.
European patent application number 0 549 126 A2 discloses in one embodiment an intelligent network-based service where a customer of the service can be allocated a special number, similar to an 800 number (0800 number in the United Kingdom), this special number being associated with a primary number (office telephone) and a secondary number (mobile telephone). A call made to this special number is recognised as such by the service switching point (SSP) local to the caller, which sends a request for routing instructions to the service control point (SCP).
The SCP performs a lookup operation and returns the primary and secondary numbers to the SSP, which proceeds to alert both numbers. The manner in which this is done depends on whether both numbers are on the same SSP or on different SSPs.
In another embodiment, a call is made to a normal directory number, i.e. is routed through the network to an SSP serving that directory number (primary number). That SSP performs a normal lookup operation to find the local line to be alerted, and the lookup returns an indication that database action is required. The SSP queries a database, receives one or more secondary telephone numbers, rings the primary number, sends a busy/idle status request to each SSP serving a secondary number, and then sends an alert request in respect of any of the secondary numbers that are idle. The SSP connects the incoming call to whichever of the alerted primary and secondary numbers is the first to go off-hook.
There is also disclosed alerting of multiple telephones in a conventional local telephone system, i.e. not an intelligent network. Upon receipt of an incoming, terminating, call, a local switch performs a normal lookup operation and finds that the dialled directory number is associated with another directory number. The local switch alerts the line corresponding to the dialled directory number and places an outgoing call via a trunk to another local switching office serving that other directory number. The local switch connects the incoming call to the line if off-hook is detected first, or the trunk if answer supervision is detected first.
GB Patent Specification No GB-A-2294178 (Fujitsu Limited) discloses a CTI arrangement comprising a switch unit with associated telephones, and a host unit connected to computer terminals. Generally, the telephones are associated with respective ones of the computer terminals. Thus, when the switch unit receives a call for one of its telephones, it rings that telephone and informs the host unit that it is applying ringing to that called directory number. The host unit performs a lookup to obtain the identity of the computer terminal associated with that telephone, and sends to that computer terminal an instruction for displaying a message corresponding to the alert.
Fujitsu Limited discloses several embodiments, including: the sharing of a common telephone by two users, each working at a respective computer terminal associated with that common telephone having two different directory numbers allocated to it; the delivery of a call to the intended recipient when he is logged on at a computer terminal which is not his xe2x80x9chomexe2x80x9d computer terminal; and the delivery of a call to a representative of the intended recipient. Where users have a fixed association with the telephones, the switch unit always rings the intended recipient and informs the host unit. In embodiments where users can log in at computer terminals other than their xe2x80x9chomexe2x80x9d computer terminal, the switch unit waits for the host unit to instruct it as to where the intended recipient, or his appointed representative, is located, i.e. the directory number to be rung, and rings that telephone, and the host unit independently instructs the relevant computer terminal to display the alert message.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,758 discloses that ATandT System 25, 75 and 85 data and voice communication systems comprise call processing software for supporting bridged call appearances whereby a call to one of a plurality of bridged terminals concurrently appears at the or each other of the bridged terminals, for example an executive and secretary arrangement.
The article xe2x80x9cFacilities for users of SOPHO-SET feature phones by C. J. Boltjes, Philips Telecommunication and Data Systems Review, Vol. 48, No. 1, March 1990, Hilversum, NL, discloses analogue feature phones and digital feature phones for use with Philips SOPHO-S digital PABXs. These PABXs provide a group arrangement to enable a caller to be connected to a random member of the group. The feature phones have a display for displaying various numbers, e.g. calling party, originally called party, and have extension keys with LEDs. Thus, a member of that group can assign an extension key of his feature phone to that group, so that for an incoming group call, the display will show the group number dialled and the LED on that assigned xe2x80x9cgroupxe2x80x9d key will flash. This indicates the nature of the call and distinguishes it from a call to an individual. Other extension keys of his feature phone can be individually assigned to the other members of the group whereby for an incoming call made to a specific group member the PABX will cause flashing of the key assigned to that specific group member on each of the feature phones of the other members of that group.
Thus the present invention is concerned with the situation in which members of a work group can easily remain in touch independently of location, for example at multiple offices, at home and when mobile.
A system has evolved to meet these needs, which is known as Computer Telephony Integration (CTI). A set of protocols and standards for CTI have also arisen and these standards are known as Standards ECMA-217 SERVICES FOR COMPUTER SUPPORTED TELECOMMUNICATIONS APPLICATIONS PHASE I, and Standards ECMA-218 SERVICES FOR COMPUTER SUPPORTED TELECOMMUNICATIONS APPLICATIONS PHASE II.
In what follows it will be assumed that these standards are met by the specific embodiment to be described, but it will be appreciated that the inventive concept to be set out later does not necessarily demand that the protocols of the above standards are followed.
One system involving CTI has been developed by British Telecommunications Limited and is known as Distributed Office Technology (DOT). In a DOT network each telephone user has an associated terminal by means of which he/she can log into what can be referred to as a virtual work group. Once logged-on the user will be provided on the associated monitor with a visual indication of each member of the team. Both the telephony and physical status of each member of the virtual work group is thus displayed on the monitor, which can be the screen of a standard Personal Computer (PC) which acts as the terminal. Users may add and remove members from the work group at any time. This can be achieved by dragging and dropping a new individual from a directory onto the work group. When a user receives a phone call, not only does the telephone ring at the physical location but the user""s icon will flash and a screen pop will appear. Every other member of the virtual work group who has logged in will be able to see that the particular member of the team has a call ringing. The user can analyse the screen pop, and answer or reject the call. The screen pop will at the very least give the number of the incoming call and, if available, the network database additional relevant information concerning the caller. However the fact that a system as just described has come into existence has been largely caused by the mobility of the members of the work group. An obvious result of such mobility is that an intended recipient of a call can be at one of many locations, which can include being at home where there may be no computer terminal, or actually travelling and thus only contactable on a mobile phone.
In one aspect the present invention is concerned with solving this problem.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) arrangement comprising a CTI-enabled switch, a store, and a CTI computer:
the CTI-enabled switch being arranged
(1) to respond to receipt of a call terminating thereon by
(1a) retrieving a dialled directory number from signalling data of that terminating call, and
(1b) sending to the CTI computer a route request signal including the retrieved dialled directory number of that terminating call,
(2) to respond to receipt of a route select signal from the CTI computer by
(2a) applying ring back treatment in respect of that terminating call,
(2b) holding that terminating call until receipt of a signal from the CTI computer for causing the connection of that terminating call to another call,
(3) to respond to receipt from the CTI computer of notification of calls to be made to a plurality of directory numbers by originating, in parallel, a call to each of said plurality of directory numbers,
(4) to respond to an answer condition of any of the originating calls by sending an answer signal in respect of that answered call to the CTI computer, and
(5) to respond to receipt from the CTI computer of a signal for causing the connection of that terminating call to that answered originating call by making that connection; the store being arranged to store a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a first part containing a single directory number, and a second part containing a plurality of directory numbers; and the CTI computer being arranged
(6) to respond to receipt from the CTI-enabled switch of that route request signal by
(6a) sending to the CTI-enabled switch a route select signal,
(6b) accessing the store in accordance with the retrieved dialled directory number of that terminating call
(6c) retrieving the second part of the entry whose first part contains a directory number matching the retrieved dialled directory number of that terminating call
(6d) sending to the CTI-enabled switch notification of calls to be made to the plurality of numbers of the retrieved second part, and
(7) to respond to receipt of a call answered signal from the CTI-enabled switch in respect of one of said originating calls, by sending to the CTI-enabled switch a signal for causing the connection of that terminating call to that answered originating call.
Preferably the system further comprises means for connecting one of said associated numbers with the source of said incoming call when that number has been answered, and of breaking connection to the remaining ones of said associated numbers which have not been answered.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating a Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) arrangement comprising a CTI-enabled switch, a store, and a CTI computer, the method comprising the steps of:
at the CTI-enabled switch
(1) responding to receipt of a call terminating thereon by
(1a) retrieving a dialled directory number from signalling data of that terminating call, and
(1b) sending to the CTI computer a route request signal including the retrieved dialled directory number of that terminating call,
(2) responding to receipt of a route select signal from the CTI computer by
(2a) applying ring back treatment in respect of that terminating call,
(2b) holding that terminating call until receipt of a signal from the CTI computer for causing the connection of that terminating call to another call,
(3) responding to receipt from the CTI computer of notification of calls to be made to a plurality of directory numbers by originating, in parallel, a call to each of said plurality of directory numbers,
(4) responding to an answer condition of any of the originating calls to said plurality of directory numbers by sending an answer signal in respect of that answered call to the CTI computer, and
(5) responding to receipt from the CTI computer of a signal for causing the connection of
that terminating call to that answered originating call by making that connection; storing in the store a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a first part containing a single directory number representing a respective user of the CTI arrangement, and a second part containing a plurality of directory numbers; and at the CTI computer
(6) responding to receipt from the CTI-enabled switch of that route request signal by
(6a) sending to the CTI-enabled switch a route select signal,
(6b) accessing the store in accordance with the retrieved dialled directory number of that terminating call,
(6c) retrieving the second part of the entry whose first part contains a directory number matching the retrieved dialled directory number of that terminating call,
(6d) sending to the CTI-enabled switch notification of calls to be made to the plurality of numbers of the retrieved second part, and
(7) responding to receipt of a call answered signal from the CTI-enabled switch in respect of one of said originating calls, by sending to the CTI-enabled switch a signal for causing to the connection of that terminating call to that answered originating call.
The present invention provides an advantage over the above mentioned prior disclosures of alerting of multiple telephones. No special network-based service number is required, and called users are contactable via conventional directory numbers whereby calls are routed through the network in conventional manner to the terminating switch serving that directory number. Previously, in the case where a secondary number was associated with the primary dialable directory number, the terminating switch always alerted the primary number. However, with the present invention, a user is not restricted to having a (primary) telephone always ring, and furthermore the determination and updating of his set of numbers to be rung is more easily managed by means of the CTI computer than by modification of the proprietary operating software of the switch.
In a preferred embodiment, the identities of a plurality of computer terminals linked in a network are stored in association with respective directory numbers of telephone terminals which are respectively associated with the computer terminals and to which the CTI-enabled switch can make originating calls,
an indication is stored of each of said users who constitutes a member of a common user group, and
a current telephony status is stored for each of said telephone terminals; and the CTI computer is connected to the network, and responsive to a member of the user group logging on at one of the plurality of computer terminals, to store a dynamic association of the identity of that member with the identity of that computer terminal while that member is logged on at that computer terminal, and to access that computer terminal to cause the display, for each member of the user group, of a respective user identity indication together with a respective associated current telephony status indication.